


Change

by waywardangel (leviarty)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Accidental Love Confessions, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Castiel and Dean Winchester Use Their Words, Dean Winchester Hates Witches, Happy Ending, I'm not sure when this takes place, Love Confessions, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, canon-typical reckless driving, talks in Baby, unbeta'd we die like men, witches made them do it?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:01:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26904778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leviarty/pseuds/waywardangel
Summary: The witch offered an ultimatum.“Sacrifice the one you love, and I’ll return your brother to you.”
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Kudos: 58





	Change

“Ordinarily I would not be in favor of putting a human in such danger,” Cas said. “But perhaps you should consider—”

“Not an option,” Dean said.

“Oh, right, because Dean Winchester doesn’t love anyone,” Cas said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

“I didn’t say that. I said it wasn’t an option. We’ll figure something else out.”

“Dean,” Cas said, narrowing his focus.

“What?” Dean said, his knuckles turning white around the steering wheel.

“Is there not nothing you wouldn’t do for your brother?”

Dean blinked several times, confused by the double—triple?—negative. “Yes?” he said, uncertain. “No?” He shook his head. “Whichever answer means that I would do anything for him. Anything but that.”

“I’m not suggesting you _do_ commit this sacrifice, but that you pretend to. Or at least make the witch believe you intend to. If there is indeed someone you care for deeply enough that you think it would satisfy her demands… There is, of course, the potential for things to go wrong, but you and Sam are remarkably good at getting yourselves out of trouble, it might be worth the risk.”

“We don’t know what this _sacrifice_ demands. I’m not throwing you to the wolves on the chance that maybe we’ll luck our way out of it. You, and me, and Jack. We’ll figure it out on our own.”

He could feel Cas’ gaze burning through him, and Dean closed his eyes far longer than a blink would allow (and longer than was generally considered safe while driving).

“Me?” Cas asked after what seemed like an eternity.

“Yeah,” Dean said. He licked his lip, then shrugged. “Sorry.”

There was silence between them for a while, and Dean wished desperately for something to fill the void between them. He also wished he could take back that stupid slip of the tongue.

But he also didn’t. Because now it was out there. And he weirdly had enough faith in their friendship that he didn’t think it would be ruined by him being in love with his best friend.

“You said we were brothers,” Cas said finally.

“I lied,” he said. He stole a glance as Cas nodded in both understanding and confusion. “It’s kinda what people do. But, dude, it doesn’t… It doesn’t have to change anything, you know. Pretend I didn’t say anything. You’re my best friend. You _are_ family. That’s all that really matters. I don’t need anything more than that.” But he did need Cas. He didn’t think he could bear it if this drove a wedge between them.

Silence sat between them again, somehow more comfortable than before.

“What if it did?” Cas asked. “Change things, I mean.”

“Cas—”

“What if I want it to?”

Dean looked over at him, trying to decipher his meaning.

“Watch the road,” he said.

He turned his eyes back to the dark highway ahead of them. No cars for miles at least. “What are you saying?”

Cas opened his mouth, then closed it again. “That I want more. I didn’t think that you… felt the same as I do. I was content with that. But I want more.”

“Oh.” Dean nodded slowly, uncertainly. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Cas repeated.

Dean stole another glance, and really, that was all he meant for it to be…

“Dean, the road,” Cas reminded him.

“Right.” He looked forward again. “I’m sorry,” he said after a while, long enough that there was no chance he was apologizing for his reckless driving habits.”

“Why do you keep apologizing?”

Dean shrugged. “For your unlucky ass getting strapped to a monster like me?”

“Dean—”

“Seriously. I’m a trainwreck of a human, you could do so much better.”

“Stop the car,” Cas said suddenly.

“What?”

“Dean, stop the car.”

Dean pulled the car off the shoulder, suddenly on high alert. “What’s going on?” he barely had time to ask before Cas’ lips were pressed against his.

“You are not a monster,” he whispered, pulling away just enough to look deep into Dean’s eyes. “You are an incredibly caring person who has done far more for this world than humanity will ever know. You were dealt a terrible hand, perhaps many of them, and any of your experiences could’ve made you harsh, but they only made you _kind_. Make no mistake, Dean Winchester, that is your strength, not a weakness. You are beautiful, in every possible way.”

Dean scoffed, trying to avert his gaze. “You’re making me blush.”

“Yes,” Cas said. “I’m going to kiss you again.” And he did.

They got back on the road a few moments later, having little time to spare. Dean took the wheel in his left hand, and Cas’ hand in his right.

“For the record,” Cas said. “I would happily sacrifice myself to reunite you with your brother.”

“I know.” He didn’t have a single doubt that Cas would do absolutely anything for them. “But please don’t.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, Sammy makes it out fine in the end. The resolution is up to you: either the boys find a way to kill the witch and rescue Sam OR the witch is Rowena in disguise and the whole thing is a ploy between her and Sam (and maybe Jack, too) to get the boys together. I'm partial to the latter.


End file.
